Strip club operator applied for business license

Thursday

Feb 28, 2008 at 12:01 AMFeb 28, 2008 at 6:36 AM

It may be a case of too little, too late. Last week, opponents of a proposed strip club and the Jasper County Commissioners talked about the need to require more information from people seeking a business license in the county.

John Hacker

It may be a case of too little, too late.

Last week, opponents of a proposed strip club and the Jasper County Commissioners talked about the need to require more information from people seeking a business license in the county.

It turns out they may have been too late to affect the proposed strip club at County Road 100 and I-44 because the owner of those buildings had already applied for two merchants licenses – on Jan. 25.

Jasper County Commissioner John Bartosh said he found out today that merchants license applications for a business called Temptations and a second business called Vegas Video had been filed more than four weeks ago.

Bartosh said there may be some kind of problem with the tax identification number, one of the few pieces of information required for a county business license, and the county may be able to force the club owner to reapply.

Joplin Attorney William Fleishaker, the attorney for Ernie Doyen, the Wichita-based owner of the businesses, said Doyen had applied for these licenses several weeks ago and Fleishaker was not involved in the application.

"He didn't need me to apply for a business license," Fleishaker said. "I don't know anything about any problems with a tax identification number."

Bartosh said County Prosecutor Dean Dankelson and assistant Prosecutor Blake Wolf were working on an ordinance to require more information on a county business license, but they had not completed their work.

Bartosh displayed a business license from Auburn, Calif., that required the applicant to include the business name and address, business owner's name and home telephone number, any co-owners names and telephone numbers, type of business, type of ownership and a signature.

The county's current business license application requires only payment of a $20 fee, the tax identification number and the business name.

Fleishaker said his client would not have a problem complying with a proper ordinance.

"My client has nothing to hide from the sheriff or anyone," Fleishaker said. "He won't have any problem with complying with any lawful requests for information. Now if they require him to swear he's a Christian and swear allegiance to Jesus Christ, that's another matter."

Bartosh said even if the strip club's business license is finalized before the commission requires more details in that license, the owners will have to apply for another license in a year.

"I know people would like us to do more, but please understand we're doing all we can do," Bartosh said.